Shelter for ex-cons ‘snowballs into thriving, beautiful ministry’
By Josh Tng
Despite impossible odds, a Lower Mainland residence for prison parolees has celebrated its 25th anniversary.
“It’s really a milestone I never thought I would see happen,” said Nigel Vincent, the executive director of Luke 15 House. “I never ever believed Luke 15 would reach 25 years, but with God’s grace the impossible happened.”
On Feb. 18, Luke 15 House staff, participants and guests celebrated the occasion with Mass and dinner at St. Mary’s Parish, Vancouver. “God saw us through every difficulty,” said Vincent. “We had nothing! But we were able to go through those difficult times and reach this silver jubilee.”
The society first began in Burnaby in 1992, when prison parolee Allan Ammerlaan and several volunteers decided to help released offenders return to society and find hope through Christian values.
When a fire gutted the first residence on Kingsway in 2005, the residence moved to Surrey.
“When I started the job (in 2008), I thought we had to close it down,” Vincent admitted. “Everywhere we turned there was a problem. We had no money, no donors, and couldn’t hire a lawyer to deal with various legal issues. I just wanted the house to survive.”
The house did continue to survive and thrive as time went on. “Now it’s a tremendous house for healing for men who come from dark places. It’s snowballed into a thriving and beautiful ministry,” said Vincent.
In his homily at the Mass, Archbishop J. Michael Miller, CSB, called Luke 15 House “a point of light and hope for its residents who sincerely desire to turn their lives around with the help of God’s grace.
“In a culture which is often harsh and unforgiving, Luke 15 shines out as an authentic beacon of God’s love, and of what can be accomplished when generous people open their hearts to their brothers in need.”
The archbishop thanked the home’s staff, board members, volunteers and friends “for their dedication to this beautiful corporal work of mercy.”
The success of Luke 15 House, named for the Gospel of Luke’s Parable of the Lost Sheep, emboldened Vincent about the home’s future. “We turn away five or six people everyday,” he noted. “We are filled to capacity, so maybe it’s time to start a new home.”
He observed the demographic of men suffering from addiction and seeking aid has shifted over the last decade. “We are getting high school students calling us,” said Vincent. “Younger people are admitting they have a problem. With addiction most people are in denial. If someone is 16-18, calling to tell us they need help, that just shows how serious the issue is. It’s certainly in the cards to expand the ministry because the need is so great.”
Peter Markin, a former executive director of the home, spoke about his experiences with the home and its creator, the late Allan Ammerlaan. Markin had been in jail for attempted robbery to fuel his drug addiction. There he got to know his cellmate, who had previously attended the halfway home.
“At this point in my life, there was no hope,” recounted Markin. The man had been kicked out of Luke 15 House, but was insistent Ammerlaan “was a great guy,” urging Markin to give the home a call.
Ammerlaan agreed to take Markin into the home and showed up for Markin’s next court hearing. “I had never heard of him or Luke 15 before, and he didn’t know me at all either,” Markin said. “(Ammerlaan) showed up at my hearing, addressed the judge on my behalf, and the next thing I know, I’m getting out!”
The deep faith Markin witnessed at Luke 15 House deeply moved him, and he soon began his road to recovery. He was even given the role as house manager at Luke 15. However, he soon grew overly confident, “thinking I could do it myself,” and relapsed temporarily into drug use.
He admitted to Ammerlaan his mistake, expecting a loss of his position and a heavy reproach. “He thanked me for my honesty, and sent me out with $1,000 to buy groceries,” said Markin.
Markin now directs eight homes for troubled youths with his wife Lillian. “We do this so they don’t have to go through the experience that is Luke 15 House,” he laughed.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been amended since its initial posting. The wife of Peter Markin was previously misidentified. Her name is Lillian. We regret the error.
